The Changing Face of YA Literature

Last weekend I was so excited to see my good writer buddy, Lisa Gail Green--author of Soul Crossed, participate in an author panel at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena. That bookstore is such a blast! I could've spent the whole day in there.

Anyway, the topic of Lisa's panel was "The Changing Face of YA Literature." Other authors on the panel were Francesca Lia Block, Lissa Price, and Nicole Maggi. It was moderated by Erika Jelinek.

I took a few notes during the discussion. The authors gave really good answers to timely topics. Here's a short summary:

Research shows that about 50% of YA books are read by adults. The authors were asked, "Does this change the way you write?"

Lisa Gail Green--No, it doesn't change the way she writes (thank goodness!). She tells the story that needs to be told. YA writers can be fearless with their choices of topics.

The authors were asked why they think older readers like to read YA books?

Nicole Maggi--Voice. YA books are often about misunderstood teens. These stories take adult readers back to that tumultuous time. It reminds us of what it was like escape into our favorite books.

How do these authors tap in to an authentic teen voice?

Lisa Gail Green--she uses her acting background to insert herself into the role of her characters. She tackles the types of problems real teens face--problems that seem bigger than life, with high drama and strong emotions.

What makes YA books so appealing?

Nicole Maggi--many teens want to be normal, but wouldn't it be cool if they were called to be a super hero? Most people wish they were extraordinary in real life. But if we were called to do that, would we? YA books explore the possibilities.

Diversity in YA books...

Lissa Price--she pointed out that it would be great if the characters' faces in YA books better reflected the faces in the classroom.

(Leslie Rose, Lisa Gail Green, and yours truly)

There was so much great information packed in the short amount of time, and I only scratched the surface. Be sure to click on the author links above. They had some amazing books on display.

What do you think of this topic? What's your opinion on the changing face of YA literature? Or literature and publishing in general?

Teen Boy Readers: What They Like and What They Wish Writers Knew

Big thanks to everyone for your support with my latest release, The Summer of Crossing Lines! Also, my redesigned web site is live and looking fresh. If you want to check it out, click here.

I have twin 14-year-old sons who will be high school freshmen this year. *sigh* I honestly can't believe my little premie boys will be in 9th grade.

As a writer of YA novels, it's helpful to have teen sons in the house. As kids head back to school, I thought it would be fun to ask both of my boys and two of their friends some questions about what teen readers like and what they wish writers knew. It's good for writers to hear from their target readers, yes? So here's Nathan, Loker, Blake, and Garrett.

1) What are your favorite types of stories? Science Fiction? Fantasy? Dystopian? Real life/contemporary?

Nathan: "I don't care too much about the type of book as long as it is fun to read. But if I had to pick something that would immediately catch my attention, it would be Dystopian."

Loker: "As long as it catches my attention, I'll be glad to read just about anything. But I like Dystopian because it's a twisted version of our world. I like fantasy because it's a completely new world."

Blake: "Fantasy, because they let me get lost in a book and a new world."

Garrett: "Dystopian, because those plots are interesting and keep me in suspense. They show a messed up world that can possibly happen. I like fantasy because I like the thought of an imaginary world."

2) Do you like to read "older" books--books with main characters who are older than you?

Nathan: Yes is the simple answer, but they can also be my age. Once again, if it's well written, I'll read almost any book."

Loker: "If I can find a book with characters who are my age, I'm glad because I can picture myself as the character. If I had to choose between characters who are younger or older than me, I'd choose older."

Blake: "Sometimes. But the age of the character doesn't matter to me, as long as the story is good."

Garrett: "Yes, because those characters are more mature and they can think through problems."

3) What do you wish writers knew about teen readers?

Nathan: (Spoiler alert!) "Sometimes a happy ending isn't always exciting. It makes it predictable. I have read a series where the author throws many unpredictable twists. I like this as long as there was not so many that it made the story hard to follow. This author's name was Darren Shan, and I liked is work a lot because not only did he create an intriguing story, but throughout the series he created a future that had been laid on the main character that in the last book he changes in an unbelievable way that killed him. The ending of that book has made me a fan of all of his books."

Loker: "Sometimes when I'm reading a book and a hear about a new, imaginary religion, I'm curious to know more about that religion and their customs."

Blake: "I wish writers would write more action in the beginning. Some stories begin too slowly. Most stories have big battles at the end, but I wish there was more of that throughout the story."

Garrett: "I wish there were more books with extreme suspense that builds, like in The Maze Runner. I like it when there's action to keep me interested."

So there you have it! A small sampling of teen boys--what they like and what they wish writers knew about them. Did any of their answers surprise you? Were they on target with what you assumed? Any other questions you'd like me to ask them?

photo credit

Release Day! The Summer of Crossing Lines

Guys, I'm soooo excited to share my next release with you! The Summer of Crossing Lines is available at all the regular places. Are you looking for a summer read before summertime ends?

When her protective older brother disappears, sixteen-year-old Melody loses control of her orderly life. Her stuttering flares up, her parents are shrouded in a grief-induced fog, and she clings to the last shreds of her confidence. 

The only lead to her brother’s disappearance is a 30-second call from his cell phone to Rex, the leader of a crime ring. Frustrated by a slow investigation with too many obstacles, and desperate to mend her broken family, Melody crosses the line from wallflower to amateur spy. She infiltrates Rex’s group and is partnered with Drew, a handsome pickpocket whose kindness doesn’t fit her perception of a criminal. He doesn’t need to steal her heart—she hands it to him.

With each law Melody breaks, details of her brother’s secret life emerge until she’s on the cusp of finding him. But at what point does truth justify the crime? 

Buy links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Apple

Kobo

Smashwords

Print

Thanks so, so much for your support and encouragement!

What to do Before You're Published

Friends, today I'm delighted to have C. Lee McKenzie here to give us advice about what we can do before we're published. Lee's latest book, Double Negative, is available now!

What To Do Before You’re Published

by C. Lee McKenzie

When I started writing fiction, I didn’t know much of anything about the business. Let’s be honest. I didn’t know anything. So what I’ve set out here is all that I’ve learned since 2009 when my first book came out. I know it’s not complete, and if I write the same kind of article in the future, it will be different. One thing I’ve learned is publishing doesn’t stay the same. 

If I could start again, these are the things I’d do before I published a book.

1. Have a professional website and/or blog designed. 

• Be sure the navigation is easy and the pages easy to read.
• Buy a domain name. Mine’s cleemckenziebooks. I wish it were simply cleemckenzie. The simpler the better. 
• Don’t use music. People often browse in public places and music isn’t always appreciated.
• Be sure people can pull up your site on all their mobile devices.

2. Become visible on Social Networking Media

• Goodreads. Even if you don’t have a book, you’re probably a reader, so join in. In fact, this is where I interact more as a reader than a writer. 
• Shelfari. You can add in a list of your characters and a brief description. You can write a short blurb, and a longer summary. You can list your chapter titles. And because Shelfari is owned by Amazon, any changes you make here show up on your Amazon book page.
• Facebook. This can be a place to meet more writers who are struggling with the same issues you are. Join some groups. Contribute.
• Twitter. This is a great tool to point the way to your other pages. Join Chats about writing and books. Tweet and don’t forget to ReTweet. I like Tweetdeck (sometimes :-) because I can schedule Tweets days in advance. Planning ahead will be very important after you’re published.
• LinkedIn. This is a community that offers helpful Forums. You can ask a lot of questions and get some excellent answers. 
• Amazon. Poke around Amazon and see how it works. 

*Be aware of Authors Central and what you can do there once you’re published.
*Understand the pros and cons of KDP Select, in which you give Amazon a 90-day exclusive to sell your book. It has advocates and those who dislike it. Here’s a great discussion by Jane Friedman.
*Find out how to use Tags to your benefit. They’re important and can be tricky. One way to find out about them is to check out the “Also-Boughts" section. Find books like yours and see how authors have tagged them.
*Find out how to get Likes. They add to your chances of being noticed. I don’t do a lot of this, but if someone invites me to like them I do, if their site is appropriate. And I invite them to like me back. It doesn’t take that much time. Sometimes people invite me to a “Like Party.” If I’m in the mood, I’ll jump in, but it isn’t my favorite promotional tool.
*Find out about Lists and how they work to your benefit.

3. Get to know who reviews what and start a list with their links for easy reference. You can find reviewers who have read and reviewed books similar to yours on Amazon.

4. Find sites that promote books. Be ready to offer promotions such as giveaways on their sites. Here are a couple I like and they’re free for a basic listing: Book Daily and Ask David.

5. Investigate email marketing. Begin to collect emails of people who know you, know your work, are readers as well as writers. 

6. Think budget. How much do you plan to spend on promo and where? Book trailer? Facebook ads? Goodread ads/giveaways? Amazon free days?  (if you go with KDP Select) 

7. Find bloggers with a following. Follow them, support them when their books come out. Make your site interesting and not all about you and your forthcoming book. Above all, be honest. Show people who you are and what you’re about. Also never snark, unless it’s in jest. Even then be careful. 

8. Last suggestions: Remove any inactive blog from your profile. Remove Word Verification and set your blog to Must Approve. That will flash, “Your comment will become available after approval.” That’s so much better than WV.

That’s about it from me, but there’s so much I still haven’t pulled together. Some things I just will never have time to do. Some things I don’t want to do. My goal is to keep everything current. When I say I’ll do something on my blog or in any forum, I do it, or I explain why I can’t. Life does have other things going on besides books, and other writers understand.

Also don’t be discouraged when you publish and your book doesn’t hit the bestseller list. Do your promo, and if you’ve created a book people want to read, it will sell. Sometimes it skyrockets, then plunges in sales. Sometimes it sells at a steady but slow pace. While any of this is happening, keep your promo on track and write that next book.


Easy? Nope.

Fellow writers, what do you think about Lee's list? Have you done all of these things? Most of them? Does the list intimidate you? Anything else you'd like to add to the pre-published to-do list? Please share!

About Double Negative: Sixteen-year-old Hutch McQueen is a smart kid who can barely read. He makes one bad choice after another, trying to find a way to escape his rotten life at home and at school. Each time he gets into more trouble.

Cover Reveal! The Summer of Crossing Lines

Friends, today I'm so happy to reveal the cover for my next contemporary YA novel, The Summer of Crossing Lines.

Here's the blurb:

When her protective older brother disappears, sixteen-year-old Melody loses control of her orderly life. Her stuttering flares up, her parents are shrouded in a grief-induced fog, and she clings to the last shreds of her confidence.

The only lead to her brother's disappearance is a 30-second call from his cell phone to Rex, the leader of a crime ring. Frustrated by a slow investigation with too many obstacles, and desperate to mend her broken family, Melody crosses the line from wallflower to amateur spy. She infiltrates Rex's group and is partnered with Drew, a handsome pickpocket whose kindness doesn't fit her perception of a criminal. He doesn't need to steal her heart--she hands it to him. 

With each law Melody breaks, details of her brother's secret life emerge until she's on the cusp of finding him. But at what point does truth justify the crime?

The Summer of Crossing Lines is coming soon! You can add it to your Goodreads list here. If you're willing to help me spread the word when the time comes, just holler! Guest posts, interviews, tap dancing while juggling pineapples...you name it. I'll appreciate any help I can get :D

Are you looking for a new summer read? Have you enjoyed your summer reading so far? Wanna share some good news? I'd love to hear it!

Advice for Writers from Author Sarah Skilton

Friends, we have a special treat today. My good buddy and amazing author, Sarah Skilton, is here to answer a few questions. Sarah is the author of HIGH AND DRY and BRUISED. If you'd like to read about my writing lessons learned from Sarah's books, click here for HIGH AND DRY and here for BRUISED.

And now, a Q and A session with Sarah Skilton:

1) What sparked the idea for HIGH AND DRY?

The idea for High and Dry came about because I love mysteries, and I love 1940s hardboiled movies such as Double Indemnity and In a Lonely Place. I also liked the show Veronica Mars (a mystery series set in high school that was recently revived by Kickstarter), and I wanted to try my hand at writing a boy narrator point of view. High and Dry is quite different from Bruised, my first novel, in that it takes place during a single week rather than over several months' time. It was great challenging myself to write a completely different style of book and I really enjoyed the process!

2) You used to be a script reader. How did that experience help you when it came to writing your own fiction?

I used to be a professional script reader for the company that puts out the casting Breakdowns. Basically that entailed reading scripts for TV shows and films that were casting, and writing up character descriptions so the talent agents and managers would know which of their actors to send out on auditions for which projects. I read hundreds of screenplays a year and it was fantastic for learning about pacing, dialogue, characterization, and tone. Another rule in screenwriting (besides "show, don't tell") is "enter the scene late and get out early," and I try to take that to heart when I'm writing my novels. 

3) Tell us a bit about your writing process. Plotter? Pantser? Somewhere in between?

As a complete cliche, I carry around a small notebook in my purse that I use to jot down ideas whenever I get them. I definitely like to have a sense for where the story's going before I begin. I know the ending very early on even if it changes in some specifics once I get there. I keep one document for notes/vague outline, and another document for the actual manuscript, and the two don't always end up matching. However, to sit down each morning and write, I have to know the direction of at least one chapter in advance or I'll panic. I call it the cushion.

4) What's the best writing advice you've ever received? Why did it resonate with you?

The best writing advice I ever received was to write the story you most wish to read. If you're writing something to please somebody else, or because you think it will be popular, but it's not something you're passionate about or excited to do, I think it will show in the writing.

5) Any additional advice you can offer writers who are seeking an agent or pursuing publication?

I would say don't beat yourself up if you have days where the writing doesn't come easily or you fear that everything you've written is junk. Give yourself a day or two off. Your brain will continue working on the story, and it'll come up with answers you didn't know you had.

As for seeking an agent or pursuing publication, follow all the directions posted on an agent's website to the letter. That'll already put you ahead of 85% of the other people who are sending queries! No joke :) Also, check out @SaraMegibow "10 queries in 10 tweets" series on Thursdays for more hints and help.

Sarah, thanks so much for the valuable information! And I love the advice about writing the book you most wish to read. Kristin Hannah, author of one of my favorite books--Firefly Lane--said something similar. She was frustrated by the lack of "friendship novels" for women. Her mom said, "Then write one."

Are you a fan of hardboiled movies? Are you a plotter or pantser? When submitting to an agent or publisher, do you study and follow their guidelines? Any tips you'd like to add?

Writing lessons learned from HIGH AND DRY

I recently read High and Dry, a noir YA novel by Sarah Skilton. It was a fun, dark, gritty read. Full disclosure: Sarah Skilton is a buddy of mine. But believe me, I'm not saying nice things about the book because Sarah's my friend. I speaketh kind words because they're the truth.

First, a quick look at High and Dry (from Amazon):

Framed for a stranger's near-fatal overdose at a party, blackmailed into finding a mysterious flash drive everyone in school seems anxious to suppress, and pressured by his shady best friend to throw an upcoming match, high school soccer player Charlie Dixon is juggling more than his share of drama. Add in a broken heart and the drinking he's been doing to soothe it, and he's near the breaking point. In this fast-paced, layered mystery, Charlie spends a frantic week trying to clear his name, win back the girl of his dreams, and escape a past friendship that may be responsible for all his current problems. 

Now on to the writing lessons learned. Warning: if you haven't read the book yet, and don't want to know any plot points, read no further!

• Begin with voice and character: Skilton's novel begins with a great first line. "I wasn't invited, but I showed up to the party anyway so I could talk to Ellie Chen and find out why she dumped me two weeks ago." Already we know the main character has attitude, and that he doesn't mind breaking rules.
• Create empathy for the anti-hero: Charlie Dixon's internal dialogue makes readers care for him. Yes, he's drinking. Yes, he crashed a party. But we know why--his heart is broken because of a bad break up. Teens (and most adults) can totally relate.
• Motive for blackmail: Blackmail happens, and in fiction, it has to be totally believable. Why would someone blackmail Charlie Dixon? His mom was tasked with school reform and become Enemy #1 in their small desert town. This may or may not be the real reason why Charlie is blackmailed, but he assumes it has something to do with his current predicament.
• Fun slang for only this story: Skilton came up with fun terms used by kids at the high school. Cliques within the school were known as Song Birds (girls' choir), Dot Govs (student council), and Beckhams (soccer players), to name a few. Skilton wrote a great post over at Janice Hardy's blog about Slinging Slang: The Case for Made-Up Words.
• Believable reason to do the wrong thing: Charlie Dixon does many questionable things, but these actions make sense in context. Characters do bad things all the time, and if the reasons are believable, the reader will forgive them--and even root for them.
• Create a cast of suspects: Sheesh, Skilton's book was packed with suspects. Even walk-on characters had dirt under their nails, which kept things interesting.

Have you read High and Dry yet? What's your opinion on these writing lessons? Have you used any of these tips before? Any you'd like to add?

Writing lessons learned from DIVERGENT

Obviously I'm a bit slow, because I finally just read Divergent, by Veronica Roth. As a matter of fact, I broke my own rule and saw the movie first--only because I was part a group of 9, and they all wanted to see that movie. Because I saw the movie first, I almost didn't read the book. But I'm so glad I did. It's amazing.

Fun fact: Shailene Woodley, the actress who plays Tris in the movie, is the daughter of my sons' former elementary school principal!

Here's a quickie description from Goodreads:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

Here are some cool writing lessons I learned from Divergent. Warning! If you haven't read this book, and don't want to know any plot points, read no further :)

• The world is the way it is--The book opens in futuristic Chicago. Factions were created to keep the peace. The author didn't bog the story down with long-winded explanations of why the world is the way it is. It just is. She trusts the reader to accept it the way it is, knowing more information will follow. I liked that.
• Not all parents are lame--In some YA lit, parents are idiotic, horrible, or lame walk-on characters. Which makes sense, because in real life some parents are idiots, horrible, or lame. Not so in Divergent. Tris loves her family and longs for them. Her parents are portrayed as noble badasses. Veronica Roth's dedication reads, To my mother, who gave me the moment when Beatrice realizes how strong her mother is and wonders how she missed it for so long.
• Don't rush romance--In many books, especially romance, it's important to introduce the love interests right away and start cookin'. In this YA dystopian, it was appropriate to make the reader wait, especially since the romance is a subplot. The romance with Four was a slow burn but totally worth the wait. *sigh*
• Unique inner dialogue--While reading this book, I noticed Tris' inner dialogue was unique: she doesn't use contractions. We make our characters unique when we attach identifying quirks, dialogue tags, and inner thoughts.
• Physical growth matches inner growth--Tris' body morphs from weak and skinny to lean and muscular, just as her character is changing from fearful newbie to brave leader. It was a cool parallel that physically illustrated her character growth.
• Story problems widen beyond the main character's initial worries--Tris' story problems change and grow. At first she worries about leaving her parents. Then she worries about her rank, and surviving Dauntless training. But then BAM! Those worries are swept away when war leaps to the top of her worry list.

The print version also had fun back matter, like the faction manifestoes, details on how the author came up with faction names, and topics for discussion.

What do you think of these writing lessons? Have you used any in your own fiction? Have you read Divergent? What did you think of it? And a fun question: which faction would you choose?

Bonus tip: has anyone else been having trouble receiving blog posts via email? For about three weeks I didn't receive my own blog posts, and many others, in my email inbox. After some digging, I found this forum thread. I made a couple of adjustments and now I'm back in business. I hope the link is helpful!

Book Release Day! Buy a book, help a great cause

Friends, it's book release day! I humbly offer my YA novel, The Boy Who Loved Fire. Yes, I'm excited. Yes, I'm nervous as heck. But most of all, I'm proud. I truly hope readers will love Manny's story.

This isn't an ordinary release day. All proceeds from today's sales will be donated to the Grossman Burn Center via Firefighters Quest for Burn Survivors. The burn center holds a special place in my heart, because they took excellent care of our son when he had third degree burns. Abigail, the love interest in The Boy Who Loved Fire, is also a burn victim. I drew on our personal experience when writing her character.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the book. If you buy a copy, I'd love it if you sent me a photo of you holding the book. I'd proudly post the photos here, on Pinterest, and on my author Facebook page. Please send your photos to julie at juliemusil dot com.

Here's the short description and buy links. Thanks so much for your support!

Manny, a modern teen Scrooge, faces three ghosts as he outruns arson charges, falls for his fire victim, and battles for redemption.

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Apple

Kobo

Smashwords

Print

All of tomorrow's proceeds will be donated to Carousel Ranch, where they provide equestrian therapy for disabled kids. Check in again tomorrow, when I'll share details of why I chose this amazing charity for day two.

thank you*thank  you* thank you* thank you

If you've released a book, how did you handle release day? Were you nervous? Excited? Scared as heck? Any advice you can give a newbie?

Ta Da! Cover Reveal for "The Boy Who Loved Fire"

Friends, I'm soooo excited to reveal the cover of my upcoming YA novel, THE BOY WHO LOVED FIRE!

Drumroll....

This cool cover was designed by Jeff Allen Fielder, who was referred to me by YA author Gae Polisner.

Love, love, love it.

I'll dig in to more details about the cover design in a future post. For now, I'm honored to leave you with a few words about THE BOY WHO LOVED FIRE:

Manny O’Donnell revels in his status at the top of his high school food chain. He and his friends party in the mountains on a blustery night, sharing liquor and lame ghost stories around a campfire. The next morning, as a wild fire rages in those same mountains, Manny experiences doubt. He was the last of the drunken crew to leave the cave, and he’s uncertain if he extinguished the flames. Within hours, he becomes the number one arson suspect.

Santa Ana winds + matches = disaster. You’d think he would've learned that the first time he started a fire.

As he evades a determined arson investigator, Manny, a modern-day Scrooge, is visited by ghosts of the past, present, and future. He’s forced to witness the fate of his inadvertent victims, including Abigail, the scarred beauty who softens his heart. Manny must choose between turning around his callous, self-centered attitude, or protecting his own skin at the expense of anyone who gets in his way.

Find it on Goodreads here!

If you'd like to help me launch this baby into the world, please leave a note in the comments or email me directly at julie at juliemusil dot com. 

Thanks so much for your continued support!

Scene Details From a Football Camp

My 16-year-old son recently spent some time at football camps. While waiting in the stands, the writer in me came out and I began scribbling down scene details on the back of my son's schedule. Well, I watched him and took photos too! But hey, as a YA writer, I never know when I'll need these details.

In case you're curious about how these camps work, or if you ever need scene details involving a football camp, I thought I'd share what I noticed.

The Location

• College campuses: USC, UCLA and Cerritos College. Large, beige buildings surrounding a football field. 
• Artificial turf on the football fields, with tiny black rubber bits scattered all over the ground (from the turf)
• Powerade station with organizers filling cups for the players
• Foggy L.A. mornings, but once the clouds burn off, hot afternoons

The People

• Hundreds of teen boys, all races, all sizes. Not only big, burly guys, but smaller guys who haven't finished growing yet
• Boys wearing school gym shorts--black, red, yellow, purple--with high school logos on the right leg
• All boys wearing matching athletic shirts provided by camp organizers. White box in the center where boys wrote their names (some first names, some last names) with a black Sharpie
• Hair: buzz cuts, curly, long hair held back in bands
• Moms and dads in the stands, watching, taking photos, reading, looking at their phones
• Some boys standing alone; some making small talk with other boys
• Lone (brave) girl running laps around the track (there's a story there, right?)
• Burly coaches with "Staff" written on the backs of their shirts

The Activities

• Boys separated in groups on the field, stretching, warming up, jumping
• Running the 40 yard dash
• One on one drills
• 7 on 7 drills
• Grouped in rooms by position, watching film of their technique & receiving tips on how to improve

The Sounds

• Coaches yelling instructions
• Clapping
• Whistles blowing
• Chants at the end of claps, like "SC!"
• At USC--nearby construction noise
• One huge coach on the sidelines screaming at the players, "Come on Beyonce! Let's see what you've got, Beyonce!" (Not even joking)

What do you think of these scene details? Ever been to a football camp? Do you jot down scene details when you're out and about?

Interview with Author Lisa Gail Green

Lisa Gail Green's debut novel, The Binding Stone, released last week. I'm especially excited about this book, because Lisa is my good friend and writing buddy. I read an early draft of this book, and it was amazing then. But last week I downloaded the published version and wow, it's like reading it for the first time. Right now it's only $.99 so clicky clicky and get your copy!

Don't believe me? This is what Lisa Desrochers, author of Personal Demons, said about The Binding Stone: "Genies like you've never seen them, THE BINDING STONE is a wild ride of treachery and deception. For my first wish, I'd like a sequel, please."

Here's a quick blurb:

Tricked into slavery by the man she loved, the Djinni Leela has an eternity to regret her choices.

Awakened in the prison of her adolescent body, she finds a new master in possession of the opal that binds her. But seventeen-year-old Jered is unlike any she's seen. His kindness makes Leela yearn to trust again, to allow herself a glimmer of hope.

Could Jered be strong enough to free her from the curse of the Binding Stone?

Lisa Green was my first connection through SCBWI, and I'm so thankful we're on this journey together. Today, she opens up about her path to publication.

1. From idea to final product, how did The Binding Stone come to be?

That's about a three-year process! LOL. The idea was born because I had a demon (character!) that wanted to be written, but it had been done. So I started researching monsters on monstropedia that might be similar and that's where I came up with the DJINN. The idea fascinated me and my imagination went wild. 

2. Can you give us a brief summary of your writing process? Plotter? Pantser? Somewhere in between?

I've always been a pantser. I love the excitement of not knowing what happens next until the character does it! But practicality has forced me to do a bit of plotting as I've grown as a writer. I tend to fill out a Blake Snyder Beat Sheet as a short outline. I also like to pre-write a summary (like a query letter) and a pitch. Even if that changes, it helps to have as a reference. 

3. The Binding Stone is published by Fuzzbom Publishing. Can you tell us a bit about your experience with a small publisher?

It's been AMAZING! They are so invested in my book. I get all the privileges of having a publisher like editing, copy editing, and assistance with marketing and layout. But I also got final say on so much and certainly input on everything.

4. Can you offer us any advice about book promotion? What's working for you and what isn't?

I'm just learning myself! But I'm happy to share. I do know from our experience with the Journeys of Wonder anthologies that the key is word of mouth. What you want is to reach your intended audience, but that's hard to do with all the books out there (which is wonderful really). So you work hard to get that first tier of people to read it and hope it's good enough to get them to recommend it to others! The more reviews you can get on Goodreads and Amazon the better. The more people you reach at once, the higher your ranking and visibility. So if you read it, please put up reviews and recommend it if you like it!

5. Is there any writing or publishing advice you'd like to share with us?

Ha! I always feel weird giving advice to others, because we're all in the same boat really. The thing I always say is PERSEVERANCE IS KEY. If you don't try it can't happen. So keep learning, keep reading, and keep writing. Never stop if it's what you love. At least you're blessed enough to be doing something you love.

Perfect writing advice. I couldn't agree more!

If you're published, how did you connect with your publisher? How did you market your book?

If you're pre-published, do you sometimes struggle with perseverance? Please share!

"I dream of Lisa Gail Green! The Binding Stone is magical in so many ways. My Djinn asks for my third wish? The sequel, of course!" -- NYT Bestselling Author Nancy Holder

Writing lessons learned from BRUISED

BREAKING NEWS!! Lisa Gail Green's debut novel, The Binding Stone, released yesterday! She's my writing buddy, and I'm super excited for her. Click here to grab your own copy of this awesome YA book.

And now on to my regular post...

I recently finished reading BRUISED, by Sarah Skilton. Bruised was a great book with an amazing voice and many powerful moments. Sarah is a friend of mine, but this isn't friendship talking--this is a reader praising a worthy book.

From Goodreads:

When Imogen, a sixteen-year-old black belt in Tae Kwon Do, freezes during a holdup at a local diner, the gunman is shot and killed by the police, and she blames herself for his death. Before the shooting, she believed that her black belt made her stronger than everyone else--more responsible, more capable. But now her sense of self has been challenged and she must rebuild her life, a process that includes redefining her relationship with her family and navigating first love with the boy who was at the diner with her during the shootout. With action, romance, and a complex heroine, Bruised introduces a vibrant new voice to the young adult world--full of dark humor and hard truths.

Here are some of the writing lessons I learned from this powerful book:

• Open with a snapshot of the major incident--When the book begins, the shootout had already happened. It didn't give a blow by blow of the shootout, only glimpses from Imogen's broken memory. Details of the shootout are dispersed throughout the book. Then Imogen describes the hard work that went into earning a black belt, ending the chapter with this powerful line: "My black belt represents everything I could've done and everything I didn't do, the only time it really mattered."
• Connect love interest through tragedy--We meet Ricky, the love interest, right away. Like Imogen, he hid under a table while the shootout happened. He understands her fears and her struggle to merge back into real life. Ricky wants to learn how to fight, and Imogen teaches him. This connects them beyond school and family.
• Use humor to lighten a dark subject--The author does a great job of injecting humor in unlikely places. It's not just humor for shock value, it's embedded in the character. There's a line in there about a weed whacker that still cracks me up. This wasn't a funny book, but the character's way of looking at life made me smile.
• Sprinkle in unanswered questions--Some questions are answered right away, but there are questions about the shootout that linger on until later chapters. I'd forget about these missing details until the author strategically reminded me. It kept me wondering what I didn't know yet.
• Forgotten past--When characters suffer a traumatic experience, authors can use this to create more mystery. Imogen thinks she cowered under a table during the entire robbery, but then she wonders, why was there blood all over my clothes? It's a mystery, and the author allows the reader and Imogen to discover the truth together. 

Miranda Kenneally, author of Catching Jordan, said this about Bruised: "Raw and real, Bruised is an important read for all teens, especially those who feel they've lost their way. This beautiful book shows the true power of sports."

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Have you read Bruised? What's your opinion of these writing lessons? Have you used them in your own work?

Writing lessons learned from BEAUTIFUL CREATURES

I have to admit, "Beautiful Creatures," by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, is not a book I'd normally read. However, I did enjoy the story and will definitely watch the movie when it comes out on DVD. Here's a brief blurb from the back cover:

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Here are some of the writing lessons I learned from this book:

• Introduce the love interest soon: readers first experience Lena in one of Ethan's dreams. Ethan doesn't actually meet her until several pages later, but when it happens, it's natural. I've noticed that catchy love stories put the couple together soon, then throw obstacles in their way.
• Create unexpected scene details: Lena's home, old Ravenwood Manor, is known around town as the haunted house with a crazy shut-in who lives inside. When we first read about it, the exterior is as expected...peeling paint, boards creaking, vines covering the windows. But inside, the interior changes to match the mood of the scene...from light and modern to dark and spooky. The interior of the house almost became like another character to me, and I was interested to see how it looked in each scene.
• Create a unifying symbol or artifact: in this case, a crescent moon. It showed up on a necklace, an important book, and in other areas of the story. It all pointed back to the sixteenth moon, when Lena would be "claimed."
• Assign unique smells to locations and characters: the scents associated with Lena were lemons and rosemary. Those same smells came into play in the neighboring plantation, and tied in with the story. Amma, Ethan's beloved housekeeper/caretaker, loved crosswords. The scents associated with her were pencil lead and Red Hot candies. (For help on adding sensory details, see my post Wise Agent Advice: More Fleas, Please)
• Add a ticking clock: Lena writes numbers on her skin and her walls, and we soon learn this is a countdown to her sixteenth birthday. As the numbers dwindled, the tension increased.
• Ambiguous villains, heroes, and adults with secrets make things interesting: Uncle Macon seems like the creepy uncle no one wants to meet. Amma seems like an innocent caretaker who happens to practice voodoo. The librarian seems like a librarian. Each of these characters hold secrets of their own, and good vs. bad becomes a bit blurry. This kept the story interesting.

Have you used any of these writing tips in your own work? If you read this book, did you pick up other lessons you'd like to share?

Agented and Indie--Interview With Author Leigh T. Moore

Our writing journeys are personal and varied, and I'm always curious about the paths other writers take--the events and thought process that got them where they are today. That was true with Leigh T. Moore, author of The Truth About Faking, Rouge, and The Truth About Letting Go.

Leigh opened up about her own unique path to publishing success. She's an energetic force in the writing community, and a true testament to calling your own shots and making things happen. I hope you all enjoy the interview!

1. You had signed with a literary agent but eventually self-published your novels. How long did your agent shop your books before you came to this decision? What gave you the burst of courage to self-pub?

The burst of courage actually hit me in Jan. 2012, when my agent had shopped my book Rouge all through the fall of 2011 and had gotten lots of compliments, no deal. 

I was ready to go then, but she wanted to shop The Truth About Faking. I agreed, but by early June, it was clear no one was going to buy it. I spent the summer working on another project, but then in September, when Faking was still just sitting on my computer, a few writer-friends convinced me to take the plunge.

2. Once you decided to go indie, what were your first steps? What was your go-to Bible for learning what to do?

I have one great writer-friend in particular, Susan Quinn, who I had been emailing and following along her self-publishing journey. Susan self-published Open Minds, the first book in her super-popular Mindjack trilogy, in Nov. 2011, and she documented all her experiences on her blog. (Highly recommended reading!)

As for your question, the first step, of course, is writing the best book possible and then editing, revising, and polishing. Second most important step is hiring a great cover artist. From there, it’s all about networking and getting the word out.

3. Did you have your manuscripts professionally edited? Or, because you're a freelance editor, did you edit the books yourself?

In the case of Faking and Rouge, I had already edited the books numerous times, my critique partners had read them several times, and even my agent weighed in on Faking. Being able to edit my own books is extremely helpful, but I do recommend hiring a professional editor. One great source of names is on the Indelibles’ blog.

4. Your book covers are gorgeous. How did you connect with your cover artist? How did you choose the perfect covers?

Thank you!!! In the case of Faking, I worked with great writer-friend Jolene Perry. I knew covers were important, and I had always loved the covers of her self-published books. So I emailed her to ask who did them, and she said she did! And then she offered to help me with mine!

Naturally, I said yes! 

With my newest book, The Truth About Letting Go, I had found the cover image when Jolene and I were looking for covers for Faking and saved it. Jolene was swamped, so my other lovely writer-friend Allison Brennan of B Design made that cover. I actually contacted the photographer directly through Flickr, and he kindly let me buy it from him. (Juanpablo’s website)

5. When it came to marketing, what worked for you and what didn't? Any tips you can pass along?

Marketing is tough, and it’s hard to know what works and what doesn’t. Different things work for different people, and sometimes, success is simply hitting what the readers want at the right time.

For the newbie, the most effective free things to do are have stellar reviews ready to go for release day and have a good group of bloggers ready to help announce and praise your book as close to when it hits the shelves as possible.

Book bloggers and book reviewers are super-busy, and even book tour hosts get booked early. So at least one month before your release date, you need to start contacting those guys.

They usually want to see your cover at least and read the book description, so you’ll need those. And try to have as close to a polished Advance Review Copy (ARC) ready to send them.

6. What's next for the great Leigh Talbert Moore? Will you ever pursue traditional publishing again? Or has your indie success encouraged you to continue forging your own path? 

I don’t know about the “great” part—LOL! My indie journey has had its ups and downs, and it can be exhausting doing it all by myself. I haven’t sworn off traditional publishing. I actually have a new book with a different literary agent at the moment, and we’ll see what happens there. But I’m happy to know self-publishing is a great, legitimate option.

The most important thing for writers is to weigh all their options and make the best decision for their books based on what’s offered and what their goals are. It’s really a great time to be in publishing!

7. Finally, what's the most important writing lesson you've learned?

Just keep swimming! I’ve been saying that for years, but it’s so true. This is a tough, tough business, and it’s easy to get discouraged and want to throw in the towel. But like my good writer-friend Matt MacNish says, the only people who never make it are the ones who give up. You can do it—just keep working hard and keep swimming.

Thanks so much for having me today, Julie! I hope I was able to help your readers, and I hope you all like my new book!

Enter to #WIN a signed print set of The Truth About Letting Go AND The Truth About Faking! (US only) *For international entrants, win a digital copy of both books! a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Truth About Letting Go

by Leigh Talbert Moore

Ashley wants to smash everything in her once-perfect life.

Charlotte wants to walk in Ashley's seemingly charmed shoes.

Colt wants to turn Smalltown USA on its ear--with Ashley at his side.

Jordan wants to follow his heart... but Ashley is the one sacrifice he never expected to make.

Up until now, Ashley Lockett has always followed the rules. She's always done the right thing, played it safe, and then her ideal life is shattered when her dad dies suddenly. 

Fueled by anger and grief, she vows to do everything opposite of how she lived before. She rejects safety, the rules, faith, and then she meets Jordan. 

Jordan has big dreams, he's had a crush on Ashley for years, he's a great kisser... but he's also safe. 

Enter Colt. He is not safe, and he's more than willing to help Ashley fulfill her vow.

Get it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, or iTunes 

About the Author

Leigh Talbert Moore is a wife and mom by day, a writer by day, a reader by day, a freelance editor when time permits, a chocoholic, a caffeine addict, a lover of YA and new adult romance (really any great love story), a beach bum, and occasionally she sleeps.

Leigh loves hearing from readers; stop by and say hello:

Blog * Facebook * Amazon Author Page * Goodreads * Twitter * Tumblr

So, friends, what do you think? Aren't her covers gorgeous? Have you read any of Leigh's books? If you haven't been published yet, have you considered going indie? If you're indie, tell us about your own experience!

Writing lessons learned from WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE

I zoomed through my third Sarah Dessen book, WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE. Here's a brief blurb from Amazon:

Since her parents' divorce, Mclean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move--four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, Mclean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, Mclean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is. Perhaps Dave, the guy next door, can help her find out.

As I've mentioned before, I've become a huge Dessen fan. Here are some of the lessons I learned from this book:

• Consider a short opening to show character: the book opens with a short scene in a diner, where a lot is revealed. Mclean and her dad move around a lot because of his job.  Mclean's attitude? Instead of looking at her situation as a negative, she views it as an opportunity to reinvent herself in each new town. This perfectly sets up the character quirks, with enough backstory to make it believable.
• Hint at strife: Dave, the love interest, lives next door. Before Mclean meets him, she watches him and his parents through the window, during dinner. Body language conveys that all is not right with this family. No conversation, shoulders rounded in defeat. Without a spoken word, we see that Dave and his parents are not happy.
• Sum up a character in a nutshell: through inner thought, Mclean sums up Dave in one sentence--boy genius, smoothie maker, cellar dweller. It's a tight character description that says so much. It reminded me to use this type of description not only in a query, but in the manuscript as well.
• Character contrasts: at school, the perky welcome-committee-of-one reveals she used to be a drummer in a metal band. With her quilted purse and sunshiney demeanor, this is a pleasant surprise. Dessen does this so well. She slips in fun details without it seeming calculated.
• Serious moment? Add humor: Mclean's dad and his female restaurant manager must decide who's the weak link on staff. Problem is, it's everyone. When Mclean walks in on their discussion, they aren't stressed out and angry. They've opened a bottle of wine and they're goofy with laughter. It's endearing.
• Involve a "together" project: the restaurant manager agrees to put together a model of the city in exchange for parking spaces. Dave is forced into the project to fulfill community service obligations, and Mclean works on it to help her father's restaurant. The couple bonds over this project, and the model city works with the plot as well. It becomes a symbol for finding your own place in your community.

"What Happened to Goodbye" is a quiet book that delves deep into family, community, and the courage to be ourselves. 

What's your opinion on these writing lessons? Have you used these techniques yourself? Please share any tips that have worked well for you.

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